curriculum_fictae: (Default)
Martin K(nife) Blackwood ([personal profile] curriculum_fictae) wrote2020-06-16 06:15 pm

[PSL] time travel, time travel

[ Martin had always known that Lukas would kill him in the end. If not along the way, then surely at the end, once he'd gotten what he wanted out of Martin, whatever that turned out to be. When the Lonely rose up to swallow him, he'd accepted his impending death with ... what?

What did he have left, really? Numbness, mostly. A hallucination of Jon in the Lonely, looking for him, but - but that was impossible, ridiculous. His mind playing cruel tricks. He settled himself down in the frigid surf, knees drawn up close to his chest, unshed tears frozen to his cheeks and lashes.

And then. A door. A door that shouldn't exist, that couldn't exist. That he shouldn't take at all. The Lonely was terrible, yes, but it was quiet, and it was peaceful. Martin was aligned enough with it by now to very nearly enjoy it, in a strange and terrible way. The Spiral would be infinitely worse than this quiet beach.

But ... it was hope, too. In a strange way. Hope enough that Martin found himself turning the door handle and stepping through, leaving the false comfort of the Lonely behind him.

The transition was unpleasant. Long. But Martin couldn't remember it after; he only remembered stumbling out through the door of a supply closet somewhere deep in the Archives, blinking up at the dim bulbs that pretended to be sufficient. What time was it? Had he escaped? Where were Lukas and Elias now?

And where was Jon? ]
kayakking: (005)

[personal profile] kayakking 2020-08-13 02:06 am (UTC)(link)
[He blinks once, off balance again.]

... Good info. So is that a plan there or a work from there sort of thing?

Honestly, I had kind of thought the tunnel thing was you cracking under stress...
eyediot: (if I saw you face to face right now)

[personal profile] eyediot 2020-08-13 02:13 am (UTC)(link)
It-- It sort of was. Me cracking, a bit, but-- It's also true he. As far as I can tell, he can't see down there. So...

[Sighs.]

Work from there. And hopefully whatever's down there leaves us alone.

[He still doesn't know it's Leitner. Heaven help them if he does find out.]
kayakking: (051)

[personal profile] kayakking 2020-08-13 02:15 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah...

[He... doesn't know though. He really doesn't. The last few months have just been... he hadn't felt the same, like some backslide into the worst possible version of events.

What would he do with confirmation that all of it's real, it's going to get worse and he needing to be the point to change it...?
]

I.. think believing you would have been real easy. I'm just not sure I'd... do the good things with it.

[No, he's gonna pick that scab.]

...

Do I? Does it get ANY better knowing the full scope of it?
eyediot: (in the dark)

[personal profile] eyediot 2020-08-13 02:18 am (UTC)(link)
[Oh jeez. This is.... where he just. Has the idea and knows he should. Do something to help comfort, but even raising one hand to reach out, he balks at it. It's hard!! But he should. Jon said he wanted to try, so he. Has to. Push a little out of his comfort zone here.

Right.

He... pushes and rests a hand hesitantly over Martin's. Light and easy enough that Martin can brush him off, but. He's trying.]


Even if it's only hurting you, that's too much. Just... Let me know?
kayakking: (035)

[personal profile] kayakking 2020-08-13 02:18 am (UTC)(link)
Right.

Can get things staged and ready. I'm not sure how much Martin and I get watched, but I don't think it's a lot. We can start going in.
kayakking: (045)

[personal profile] kayakking 2020-08-13 02:25 am (UTC)(link)
[Practically a required job skill.

He rubs a hand over his face...
]

Do we even know what he's ultimately trying to do? Just... make more Eye monsters or mean girl ruining other rituals or get power or... what?
eyediot: (s5; but that just reminds me how)

[personal profile] eyediot 2020-08-13 02:34 am (UTC)(link)
Right.

[Deep breath.

Hooooooo they're doing this. This is a thing they're doing. Talking about... planning to destroy the Archives. As much as he knows it's for the best of literally the world, it's... still hard to fathom. It's fine. Just destroying an entire archive of centuries' worth of research and information, it's.... fine oh god he hates this idea.]


I'll, um. I'll let Algric know.
eyediot: (s5; and putting them back in my face)

[personal profile] eyediot 2020-08-13 02:34 am (UTC)(link)
[Did he do that right? When Martin turns his hand, he almost mistakes it for a brush off and gets ready to move it, but.. Nope. Looks like he did that right.]

...Then only tell me when you're up for it. Doesn't even have to be everything at once.

[And he means that.]
kayakking: (025)

[personal profile] kayakking 2020-08-13 02:36 am (UTC)(link)
He uh... has an idea, though I actually don't know his exact position.

[... now that he thinks about it.]

I was going to just. Do it, and he talked me down.
eyediot: (and if I haver yeah I know I'm gonna be)

[personal profile] eyediot 2020-08-13 02:42 am (UTC)(link)
What?

[He's getting a very rapidfire show of how much shit people don't tell him. Not just in his personal life like this, but just... all around. Christ.]

I mean, I'm glad he talked you down for now, but... [There's clear frustration there, in his hand gripping the arm of his chair a bit tighter than he had been. All that bluster and shit about wanting to change this timeline, and Algric won't even tell him half of what's going on.]
eyediot: (but I would walk 500 miles)

[personal profile] eyediot 2020-08-13 02:43 am (UTC)(link)
[Jon watches him. Then... carefully squeezes that hand, nudges a shoulder gently.]

Makes two of us, then. Didn't even manage the "barely" part.
kayakking: (029)

[personal profile] kayakking 2020-08-13 02:45 am (UTC)(link)
But...

[And the prompt is interrupted by a firm knock at the door.]

Ah, crap. Hang on.
kayakking: (021)

[personal profile] kayakking 2020-08-13 02:47 am (UTC)(link)
Right.

...

At least that probably means you were on the right track.
eyediot: proclaimers - "500 miles" (when I wake up)

[personal profile] eyediot 2020-08-13 02:58 am (UTC)(link)
Ah- right.

[They did order food, didn't they? He'll have to transfer some money over to Tim to pay for his part. God, right he did get his phone out already, he'll just. Do that now. When Tim comes back, there'll be enough for his half, delivery fee, and tip waiting for him. But all that loose anger he had for a moment drifts when left sitting on his own for the few minutes.]
eyediot: (though I know I love you)

[personal profile] eyediot 2020-08-13 02:58 am (UTC)(link)
[He clicks his tongue once, a more self deprecating crooked smile.]

None. I was... deeply annoying. Bit of a child prick to everyone around me.
eyediot: (s5; bottle well or barrel?)

[personal profile] eyediot 2020-08-13 03:11 am (UTC)(link)
Oh-- oh, you can't? [Okay the laugh has him smiling a little easier. It's not a full smile, but it's there. And he ... sees the color. Huh. That's interesting.

Jon squeezes his hand again.]


I kept - kept wandering off. And being brought back home by the police. My grandmother didn't know what to do with me.